I don't have any direct answers for you, but are some thoughts and experiences I have had.
1. We got the wheelchair (a large Permobil C500) before getting a wheelchair van. We bought 8 ft folding ramps so that we could load the wheelchair into our SUV, a 2006 Lexus Lx 470 that is larger than your Honda CRV. We have used the ramps twice. Once to test loading and unloading the wheelchair. Second, to transport the wheelchair to where we bought our wheelchair van. The wheelchair took the ride home in the wheelchair van, which we purchased used off of craigslist. Using those ramps was so impractical that we have not used them again. We have them in case of an emergency, but that is the only situation in which we are likely to use them. Among the problems we encountered were that the anti tip wheels on the front of the wheelchair hit the ground when transitioning onto or off of the ramp, the wheelchair did not have enough power or traction to climb the ramp, and it was not practical to reach the joystick as the wheelchair made it further into the vehicle.
2. Hitch mounted wheelchair racks have a few drawbacks. First, they expose the wheelchair to the elements. Wheelchairs are vulnerable to expensive damage when they get wet. Riding on the back of a vehicle will expose them not only to precipitation, but also to all the stuff thrown back by a car (including salt, in your area). You would need to find some kind of cover for the wheelchair, including the bottom side. Second, vehicles with a receiver will have a limited amount of weight they can handle. Be sure yours can handle the weight of the hitch, rack, wheelchair, and any extras on the wheelchair. For example, my wheelchairs generally weigh over 400 pounds. A hitch rack for a wheelchair can weigh 100 pounds. Most are rated only for group 2 and 3 wheelchairs (my wheelchairs are all group 4). A quick google search reveals that a 2017 to 1022 Honda CR-V is rated for 525 pounds tongue weight. That tongue weight is valid when hauling a trailer, which has wheels on the ground to help stabilize the load. The wheelchair hitch rack has no wheels and will be bouncing around everytime you go over a bump, which greatly increases the forces placed on the receiver. I have seen people using hitch racks, so it can be done, but be sure to do your research first.
3. I live in a resort area. In the summers, I have seen quite a few people in light weight, folding electric wheelchairs similar to the Air Hawk Electric Wheelchair. These are very workable solutions for folks that do not require rehab seating (that is, a seat with full support and power tilt, recline, and leg lift). Be aware many of these style wheelchairs use a type of lithium ion battery that poses risk of fire under certain circumstances. That is OK if it is used outside and the user can quickly evacuate the wheelchair. Note that I use Lithium Iron Phosphate (LIFEPO4) batteries in one of my wheelchairs, and those are NOT very susceptible to fire. Air Hawk says they use a "Lithium Ion Battery" (note the missing "r" in "Ion"). From worst to best for fire would be Lithium Polymer (LiPo), Lithium Ion (Lion), and then Lithium Iron Phosphate (LIFEPO4). I would only consider using LIFEPO4.
Any of the lightweight wheelchair options will be temporary, so I would encourage you to pay for them out of pocket. Save the insurance claim for a suitable wheelchair with rehab seating. List prices for the Air Hawk start around $2,000, whereas the kind of wheelchair I use starts at around $50,000 and can easily approach $100,000 in the US the way I like them configured. Note those are list prices. The actual prices paid can vary quite a bit.
Steve
